Outsourcing – The Promatics Bloghttps://www.promaticsindia.com/blog
Promatics Technologies Private LimitedFri, 13 Sep 2019 12:13:39 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.5Wireframes vs Mockups vs Prototype: How they differ from each other?https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/wireframes-vs-mockups-vs-prototype-how-they-differ-from-each-other/
https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/wireframes-vs-mockups-vs-prototype-how-they-differ-from-each-other/#respondFri, 28 Jun 2019 14:23:11 +0000https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/?p=7583Every successful app product on the market is the end result of a close-knit work association of designers, developers and businesses. All stakeholders carry with them different backgrounds and thus have differently oriented viewpoints of looking at the same project. A business having an app developed by working in close association with a mobile app … Continue reading

]]>Every successful app product on the market is the end result of a close-knit work association of designers, developers and businesses. All stakeholders carry with them different backgrounds and thus have differently oriented viewpoints of looking at the same project. A business having an app developed by working in close association with a mobile app development company may find itself lost when it comes to technical terminology, that seems confusing at best. For example; the meaning of words like wireframe, mock-up and prototype is seemingly the same for a layman. However, development experts know that the three terms mean radically different things when it comes to mobile app development. In this article, we present the difference between the meaning of the terms wireframe, mockup and prototype to propagate better understanding on the subject. If you are a business thinking of having a mobile app developed, it is imperative that you gain a brief understanding of the subject.

Components of Pre-Development Design

There is a certain systematic flow to the app development process that streamlines it when followed as prescribed. This flow begins with a pre-development design that includes stages like wireframing, designing mockups and prototype development. Here we define each component for you:

I. Wireframes

What appears like a boring assembly of grey boxes is wireframe, a rough representation of the app design. It forms the backbone of app design but is characterised by low fidelity i.e. it is weak in terms of visual design, interactivity and content. The aim of a wireframe is to show the structure of an application with very basic UI elements and content placement. Not only does it describes the core functionality of the product, but it is also the framework which defines which elements are placed where on an app and how they work together. It is an essential stage of the pre-development process, which shows the logic behind the app product. It elucidates the functional side of an app and brings a certain orientation to scattered ideas of the designers.

The main features of a wireframe are:

Mock content.

Basic structure.

Basic UI visualisation like boxes or circles, lines and text.

While a wireframe is aptly platonic and is achieved without much attention to detail, it is sufficiently definitive of what the actual app product will be. They are used for documentation as they are static by nature and for the streamlined working of the mobile app development team.

II. Mock-Ups

The next step in the app pre-development process is developing a mockup. A mock-up is a medium to high fidelity, static representation of the app design which is not clickable. It is a step-up from the schematic wireframe layout to a more realistic representation of the app product. It differs from the wireframe as it has colour, fonts, text, images, logos etc. A mockup uses functionalities like buttons, text bars, actual content layout with typography, navigation graphics etc to present an improved version of the wireframe. A mockup is a great way to invite investment from prospective investors as it presents a realistic picture of how the final product will be. It helps the app development team decide important app components like colour schemes, visual style, typography. We at Promatics believe that it is the best stage to take opinions from prospective users than to re-do it later to prolong the development process.

III. Prototype

The third step of app pre-development process is making a high fidelity representation of the final product, called the Prototype. The main aim of the prototype is to showcase UI interactions between the app product and user. Thus, interactions need to be modelled with extreme care when it comes to designing a prototype for the app product. Prototypes are developed to check the usability of the interface, before beginning with the actual development process. When compared to wireframe and mockup, a prototype is the most engaging form of design documentation as well as the most expensive one that a team can develop. However, when done in the right way and used for testing, a prototype can even end up paying for itself. Vivid elements like UX pieces, interactions, animation etc make it lively. While it might appear to resemble a finished app product on a platonic level, a prototype is only a combination of images connected with each other. App prototypes go a long way in testing the user flow. The only way in which a prototype lacks from the final product is that the interface and the backend do not come tied together in a prototype as they do in the final app product. This is the reason why making a prototype does not incur a high development cost overall.

Conclusion

Each stage of the pre-development process has its perks. Developing a prototype, wireframe and mockup allow a firm foundation for the app.

If you have a business idea, you need to present it to investors. Thus, building a wireframe on the idea is the first step in the right direction. A wireframe can bring out a better understanding of the app’s architecture and the best coding solutions for it. As the team of developers build some structure into the wireframe it grows into a small mockup. With design details and structural elements like buttons, graphics, and content layouts, mock-ups offer a realistic view of the app product. Further, the development of the basic UI elements into the mockup graduates into a Prototype. Test your prototype with real users and real devices. User testing a prototype ensures the flaws are discovered and mitigate before the actual development begins.

We at Promatics Technologies, specialize at working out clickable wireframes, interactive mockup samples, and prototypes for ideas that businesses come up with. Not only does this help us develop a better understanding of the app ideas but also help us save on resources like time and money. We use these three pre-development stages for best by reducing the risk of flaws at every point.

]]>https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/wireframes-vs-mockups-vs-prototype-how-they-differ-from-each-other/feed/0How to master the most important aspect of Agile Development?https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/how-to-master-the-most-important-aspect-of-agile-development/
https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/how-to-master-the-most-important-aspect-of-agile-development/#respondSat, 15 Jun 2019 09:14:16 +0000https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/?p=7560What is Agile Development? A simple dictionary search for the meaning of the word ‘agile’ leaves us with a definition ‘able to move quickly and easily i.e. adaptable.’ When it comes to software development, Agile Development denotes a particular method of project management that warrants the execution of tasks into short phases of work and … Continue reading

A simple dictionary search for the meaning of the word ‘agile’ leaves us with a definition ‘able to move quickly and easily i.e. adaptable.’ When it comes to software development, Agile Development denotes a particular method of project management that warrants the execution of tasks into short phases of work and frequent reassessment and adaptation of workflow. Manifesto of Agile Software Development, is a unique set of practices that tend to fuel speed and quality into the otherwise time-consuming and error-laced process of software development.

4 Values of the Agile Manifesto

The Agile Manifesto iterates four foundational values for software developers to abide by. These values can be applied in different senses in each developmental process but they all work towards achieving high-quality end results. Here are the 4 values and their distinct emphasis on agile communication:

1. Individuals and Interactions Over Processes and Tools

The Manifesto clearly states that it is important to value interactions with the client and within the team and not just the documented process of development and tools used. It iterates how individuals form the centre of all developmental activities and not just automated tools. If the developmental process is more mechanised, the team participates less and finds it difficult to adapt to changes, leading to performance failures of the final product. Only effective communication can make the developmental procure individual-centric rather than process centric. When the process is individual-centric, communication is fluid and happens when as and when the need arises. However, in the case of a process, communication is often mechanised and requires specific content.

2. Working Software Over Comprehensive Documentation

Age old software development practices required extensive documentation of the product for development and ultimate delivery. The team documented technical specifications, technical requirements, technical prospectus, interface design documents, test plans, documentation plans, and approvals that were required for each of these steps. This added to the cost and time of development in massive ways. Agile development streamlines the workflow by reducing the need for redundant documentation and increasing the emphasis of synched working teams.

3. Customer Collaboration Over Contract Negotiation

Negotiations are savage working out of the important details of the project. On the other hand, collaborations ensure that the customer is engaged throughout the development process through effective communication practices. This not only ensures that the final product meets the expectations of the clients but also makes it possible to implement changes in a timely fashion. The agile developmental process ensures that clients are engaged at regular intervals through periodic demos, meetings and discussions etc.

4. Responding to Change Over Following a Plan

Following the traditional developmental processes meant labelling ‘change’ as an expense. It required the development of detailed, elaborate plans, with pre-defined features along with having a set pre-determined workflow. Embracing Agile means allowing the scope for shifting priorities from iteration to iteration. Agile appreciates changes and the improvement that a change bring along. Agile methodologies allow the developmental teams to change the process through close-knit communication channels.

Importance of Communication in Agile Development

a.) It mentions that satisfaction of the customer as its highest priority. Only effective communication ensures that the development team comprehends what the client expects out of the final product, which can guarantee client satisfaction.

b.) The principles specify embracing changing requirements, even at later stages in development. A close-knit team that communicates at every stage can collectively discover the need for change and implement it easily while keeping the client in the loop.

c.) A team working collectively and in a transparent fashion can deliver any working software in a short span than a team that lacks communication due to the streamlined workflow.

d.) Effective communication ensures motivated individuals are given their due in the form of appreciation and support. This further incentivizes them to give their best.

e.) The principles tout face-to-face conversations to and within a development team as the most efficient and effective method of conveying information.

Our Experience with Agile Development

The golden principle that fortifies business partnerships is good communication. As a mobile app development company, we constantly strive to figure out what our business clients expect out us. It remains our motive to add value to the app products we develop while being flexible to the needs of our clients. The secret to success behind serving our clients the best lies in all the efforts we put in knowing them and their history. Having some context about the clients gives us a strategic edge in dealing with their needs. Additionally, we maintain an organic flow of communication with our clients throughout the project cycle so that we are abreast with evolving business requirements, vision, priorities, goals, and key stakeholders and their roles. This paves an easy way for open creative dialogue, keeps client and us on the same page about the challenges and progress of the project. Such practices are imperative for the success of Agile project plans.

We have been in business with prestigious clients in the industry for some time now, to know well enough that even the best quality apps come with bugs in the beginning. A close-knit, transparent relationship between all stakeholders ensure collaborative solutions to the problems spring up as soon as does the problem. Working in close partnership with the clients also helps us work proactively on new ideas and challenges. Knowing the strategic ways and timing of conducting the communication with a client also add enormously to the final outcome. However, it all begins with attentive listening. Listening with intent ensures that you develop a clear cut understanding of what is expected out of your work.

Here are some best practices that help maintain an effective workflow of information:

I. Synching Up- Having a client on the loop at all times through regular in-person meetings/video conferences and telephone conversations ensures that the workflow is streamlined and all stakeholders remain up-to-date.

II. Familiarity Session- Conduct a team-wide familiarity session with the client. This will ensure that all the people working on a particular project become familiar with the client through fun ways. This also helps unravel the expectations of the client from the product and helps the team understand it better.

III. Listicles- There should be a common thread of shared lists that contain issues, discuss the requirements and goals of the project. Stay on track as a team.

IV. Real-Time Communication- Count emails old school, with new age instant messengers which help all to stay connected in real time. Thought provoking conversations with the team reinforces creative collaborations and equitable responsibility at the workplace.

V. Share Honest Feedback- It’s wonderful to appreciate and rewards teammates that outperform app development. It encourages them to think ‘outside of the box’ and bring in good ideas. Appreciation for hard-working teammates reiterates your focus on quality in the app product.

Summary

In the end, it’s fair to claim that the success of any technological development project begins with clear and free-flowing communication between all stakeholders. Good and open communication between the team and the client streamline workflow, mitigates risks, enhances productivity ensuring all the while that the final product is in sync with the business’s expectation. Thus Agile Development calls for agile communication as an essential element.

]]>https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/how-to-master-the-most-important-aspect-of-agile-development/feed/0All You Need to Know About the All Important Customer Journey Mapshttps://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-all-important-customer-journey-maps/
https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-all-important-customer-journey-maps/#respondSat, 08 Jun 2019 06:56:57 +0000https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/?p=7551You would be surprised to learn that 84% of businesses that strive to improve customer experience (CX) witness an improvement in their revenue. Unfortunately, only 19% of businesses actually have a dedicated CX team to help bridge gaps in customer experience. The first step towards bridging gaps in customer experience is to understand how customers … Continue reading

]]>You would be surprised to learn that 84% of businesses that strive to improve customer experience (CX) witness an improvement in their revenue. Unfortunately, only 19% of businesses actually have a dedicated CX team to help bridge gaps in customer experience. The first step towards bridging gaps in customer experience is to understand how customers sense, perceive and behave with your product. As you may already know, customers do not necessarily interact with your product the way you intend them to. This often results in poor customer experience, which consequently causes customer attrition.

To avoid such frustrating situations, it is important to understand and predict every possible interaction a customer may undertake while using your product. A customer journey map identifies these various paths that lead a customer to interact with your product. Once you identify possible interaction paths, you can create contingency plans to improve customer experience by ameliorating product features.

So let us take a look at what customer journey maps are, and how you can implement them in the context of your products.

What are customer journey maps?

Customer journey maps help businesses to identify how the user interacts with a product or application right from the outset, and what could be done in order to ensure a favorable outcome for the business. Customer journey maps can be drawn for a variety of product and application situations. In fact, you can create customers journey maps for your marketing and customer support endeavors as well. For example, you can create maps for the following situations:

a.) Responding to a social media query

b.) Speaking to a customer service representative

c.) Interacting with an email newsletter

d.) Interacting with a physical product at a store

e.) Clicking the desired CTA on a website

f.) Using an application in a way that results in a sale

Customer journey maps can be drawn for every possible customer interaction that should have a desired outcome. These possible pathways help you to predict how a customer might behave, and fill the gaps within the process so that customer experience is smooth and intuitive.

In short, well-defined and carefully thought-out customer journey maps directly result in improved UX metrics. Customer journey maps are particularly important in the context of ecommerce applications. Poor CX scores directly result in poorer sales and lost revenue. Understanding how customers interact with ecommerce applications and mapping those pathways can be invaluable.

Why do you need customer journey maps?

Customers often do not interact with an application or product correctly. Research shows that most customers use a product or application haphazardly. It is difficult to ensure that they use an application the way you intended it to be used. Customer journey maps help you to imagine various pathways via which customers may interact with your application, and understand their underlying cognitions. This helps you to improve product experience.

Here are some possible scenarios:

1.) Users may interact with the application or product randomly

Example: Instead of tapping on a menu button, customer may swipe, resulting in a differing outcome than the intended one. This results in customer frustration, while negating the efforts of the developer who created the user interface.

2.) Incorrect usage of an application or product can be the result of confusing pathways or unintuitive UI

Example: There are times even when the best intentions can go wrong. Though you may think the user interface of your application is perfect, there may be a loophole which results in customer using the application incorrectly.

3.) Humans do not always think logically and behave according to their state of mind

Example: People do not always interact with an application in a logical manner. How logically they use an application depends on their level of interest and motivation, their emotional state, how bored or interested they are, or if they truly want to achieve the goal.

4.) Emotions are more important than you might imagine

Example: A person who is in a bad mood may displace his anger on your application by repeatedly tapping on the wrong button, and ultimately deleting the application to prove that “it was a terrible app anyway”.

5.) Users interact with a product or application based on their experience with other applications and products, retrieved from their experiential memory.

Example: A person who is used to Spotify may look for a similar function in Apple Music, and grow frustrated because “it is different”.

What does a customer journey map look like?

Customer journey maps help you to understand how user feels, thinks and what he does, in every probably step. In fact, such a map is eerily similar to thought diaries that patients of psychotherapists are advised to maintain during their cognitive behavior therapy sessions. Here its what a basic customer journey map looks like:

What is the customer going to do? (Click on the product image)

What might the customer be thinking? (“I hope it looks good”)

What could the customer be feeling? (Anticipation and excitement)

Unfortunately, customers do not behave in a logical sequence as described above. Instead, they may click on an image and expect the checkout page to appear, or hope that the specifications are mentioned alongside. When they realize that a certain interaction with the application or product (path) does not fetch the result they want to see, they may grow frustrated. By considering various paths that may lead to desired and undesired outcomes, you can make improvements to your product or application.

c.) Sampling is done correctly and is representative of the intended target audience

d.) Maps are drawn only after conducting in-person user tests

In-person user tests should include 2-way mirrors, observation rooms, external observers, cameras and microphones placed in different corners of the observational room, and real-life conditions for users.

Customer journey maps are important to enhance user satisfaction

Customer journey maps are crucial in ensuring top-notch UX metrics. However, maps need to be drawn after conducting user research carefully. Customer journey maps help you to understand what users think and feel, and how they behave while using your product or application. This helps you to make improvements to existing applications or products, or envision a new product altogether. Ultimately, you will launch a product that helps you improve your bottom line figures. Make sure to hire an agency that has the adequate research infrastructure and experience to develop customer journey maps.

]]>https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-all-important-customer-journey-maps/feed/0Tips to evaluate competition and draw analysis for your new mobile apphttps://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/tips-to-evaluate-competition-and-draw-analysis-for-your-new-mobile-app/
https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/tips-to-evaluate-competition-and-draw-analysis-for-your-new-mobile-app/#respondThu, 02 Aug 2018 07:17:32 +0000https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/?p=7093Launching a mobile app is not tough anymore. But, getting business through the app, to stay competitive in the market where millions of apps already exist is the toughest part. App developers should evaluate the competition out there first and do a thorough market analysis, even before starting the development part. The process of drawing … Continue reading

]]>Launching a mobile app is not tough anymore. But, getting business through the app, to stay competitive in the market where millions of apps already exist is the toughest part. App developers should evaluate the competition out there first and do a thorough market analysis, even before starting the development part. The process of drawing the market analysis for a mobile app is a long process and there some several steps or phases involved into it. Also, there are different ways to follow for the same. We’ll cover here the overall evaluation technique in this article.

Before jumping into the real deal, let’s check out the reasons we should do a competition analysis before launching a mobile app:

a.) It helps in understanding the motivation behind the idea of your app and the client’s expectations clearly

b.) Before investing time and money, the analysis helps to understand if the idea of your app fits into the current market scenario

c.) You’ll get to know the factors of the success of similar apps in the market and the failure reasons for the same as well

d.) You’ll get the idea that what your competitor is providing through their apps, and what extra you can offer to the consumers through your app to take the place of your competitors.

e.) The competitive analysis will give you the roadmap for your app development journey

Now, let’s get into the steps of doing the competitive analysis for your mobile app:

Step 1 – Find and define your competitions

The first step of analyzing the competition is to identify the competitors of your app and the services you are providing through your app. The complete understanding of the competitions includes – what are the competitors are offering to the consumers, what you are offering them, the difference between their services and so on. What you need to do here is to open a spreadsheet and note information about your competitors.

Take the help of Google or any other search engine to find apps that are providing similar service and note down their name.

Note down the link of their websites, if there is any.

Link to their apps in the app stores

How many reviews and star ratings they have got.

How many negative reviews are there in the app store for them

Social media profiles of the apps if there is any. If there is no social media page, note that too.

Keep all the information in separate columns. This way you’ll be able to build a good competitor database of your own as a stepping stone to the latter part of the analysis.

Step 2 – Compare your app with other businesses

Now that you have identified your competition, the second step you need to follow is to compare your app to the other app businesses. Complete understanding of the competitors’ products, market, and strong features will let you stay updated about their market and you won’t be facing straight competition from the established apps. The following points should be compared when you are comparing your app with that of the other businesses:

Product Features

Note down the features of the products your competitors offer to the consumers. If possible you need to write a brief description of the products or services.

Web Presence

If the mobile app competitors have their own website, take the URL and paste it into an analytics tool or take the help of Google, to find its ranking or how is the web presence of the competitors. Web presence also includes online reviews and social media presence as well.

Monetization options

There are many app monetization models like PPC ads, in-app advertisements, subscriptions, freemium etc. You need to check out what monetization model your competitors are using and what suits your business best.

Position in the market

The competitor’s position in the market is very important to analyze, as you may get a straight threat when you are just starting with the services. Market perspective and users’ need are important to understanding.

Swot analysis

SWOT analysis is the analysis of strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats. You have to ask questions like what are the advantages and strengths do they have, what could they improve to get more reviews, what are the interesting trends where you can sell your services, what are the obstacles your competitors face?

Who is the target audience

Before launching and building a mobile app, you need to understand who your target audience is. Not anyone and everyone is the user of your app. Like a shopping app is not for gamers or a health app is not for shoppers and so on.

Unique value offerings

Your app can get a position in the market when and only when you’ll offer some added value through your services. Therefore, identifying your best-suited target audience is important. This will later help you in the process of marketing your product.

Step 3 – Analysis of the app stores

You can check out the app store data for learning how your competitors are doing in the market. The data includes the ratings – average, good, excellent or poor, reviews, update cycles, last update date and the bugs fixed recently. User reviews are important for all the versions of the app. The bugs arrived on the apps and the fixed versions and additional features they are offering with each of the version releases is important as well. This will help you avoid committing the same mistakes with your applications as well. Always check out the negative reviews to find the problems with the applications of your competitors.

Step 4 – Analyze the need of your target audience

Every business has some services to offer and mobile apps are not the exceptions. You are trying to resolve some issues or providing solutions through your mobile app. Different users have different needs and expectations for each app. Therefore, you have to learn all the needs of your users to draw and improve services of your mobile app. For that, you may ask the following questions:

a.) Who are the users of your mobile app and services?

b.) What are the features your users look for in an app that provides similar kind of services you are offering?

c.) Identify your users by age, gender, income range or interests

d.) How are you resolving their problems or giving them what they want?

Using the information you have got from the analysis, define your value proposition.

Step 5 – Evaluating the marketing techniques for your app

Evaluating and identifying marketing techniques for your mobile app well in advance is very important. It will reduce the hurdles and hardships of marketing later when the app is ready for sale. There are marketing mediums like:

]]>https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/tips-to-evaluate-competition-and-draw-analysis-for-your-new-mobile-app/feed/0Why you should not use DIY app makers to make you app?https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/why-you-should-not-use-diy-app-makers-to-make-you-app/
https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/why-you-should-not-use-diy-app-makers-to-make-you-app/#respondWed, 28 Feb 2018 12:49:58 +0000http://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/?p=6115Mobile app market is constantly on rise, as a result of which every small and large business want to avail the benefits of mobile apps. There are plenty of ways to create your own app, no matter what business you are into. Many entrepreneurs and business owners are in dilemma of hiring mobile app development … Continue reading

]]>Mobile app market is constantly on rise, as a result of which every small and large business want to avail the benefits of mobile apps. There are plenty of ways to create your own app, no matter what business you are into. Many entrepreneurs and business owners are in dilemma of hiring mobile app development agency or choosing DIY app marker. However, it is always better to keep traditional approach for mobile app development, instead of using DIY app makers.

Why you should prefer strategic approach over DIY app makers? Well there are many cases for it. Lets explore this further.

Before we go into detail, let’s know about some popular app makers to create your own app.

Top DIY app makers to create own mobile app

Early adopters in mobile app development use DIY app makers to reach their customer base and improve customer service. Many small business owners choose DIY app creators that require minimal coding. Entering into mobile app development market is much easier with these tools. You can create and manage your mobile app using one of the app makers listed below.

1. AppyPie

AppyPie is one of the most popular app makers, especially designed for iPhone and Android app development. All you need to do is drag and drop hybrid apps for different OS like iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows. You need not to download it. Instead, use a web interface to build an app.

2. Appsbar

This is a free tool that allows you to create and publish hundreds of apps without any restriction. The best thing about this tool is that the app is saved in user account while in progress. There is no need to finish the entire app in one single shot.

3. AppInstitute

The AppBuilder platform from AppInstitute provides a simple way to create, publish and manage smartphone apps in minutes without any technical skills. This app maker provides an easy to use interface with multiple design templates and add-ons. If you want to publish apps on app store, you need a paid version of this tool.

There are many other app makers that offer the possibility of building an app at cost-effective rates. Most of these uses drag and drop technique to make the creation process fun and interactive. However, most of these app makers have drawbacks, as you will not be able to add exclusive features to your app. You will have to choose from the services they offer.

Even the most popular apps have some drawbacks, which I am going to list below. In case, you need custom solution and are more concerned about branding – you should hire a mobile app development company.

Reasons not to use DIY app makers

Mobile apps are created for many reasons. The primary reason to choose DIY app makers is to create an app in a cost effective way. It sounds easy and takes less time to develop a fully functional app. However, there are some problems with these pre-built tools — and hence one should avoid using them. Some of the reasons why you should not use DIY app makers are –

Subscription cost

Though the app makers allow you to create and manage app easily, you need to pay annual fee to publish your app. If you calculate this expenditure, you will realize that it will cost you thousands of dollars – which will continue as long as your app is live. Hiring a mobile app development agency for the same work may cost you less, as it is a one-time fee and feasible choice.

Cross functionality issues

Using DIY approach may not be suitable for devices with different OS. You may have to neglect a number of devices on which the app is compatible. You won’t be able to cater the needs of large audience by creating an app using DIY app maker.

Security issues

When it comes to develop mobile app, security is one of the primary concerns. If the information of your users is at stake, it means there is no benefit in creating such app. App makers have a lot of security issues and you are always in dark about the transactions and confidential information of the users. If you are worries about data issues, you should hire a professional mobile app development company.

Maintenance

The biggest drawback of DIY app makers is the long-term maintenance issue. App stores are updating constantly, as a result of which their guidelines and rules are changing. Your app may have to deal with these changing rules and guidelines. You may also need to update the content of your app, based on your business requirements. You can overcome this issue by choosing professional app Development Company that offer appealing templates and features, and also manages your app.

Common designs

App makers are used by hundreds of professionals, small and medium businesses. As the pre-set theme is used by hundreds of professionals – there won’t be any differentiating factor. If you want your app to stand out ahead of others in the app store, it should be unique. Creating a unique UI may not be possible with DIY app makers – as it takes a lot more than drag and drop.

From the above, we can say that creating an app using DIY app maker is beneficial – if the app is just for business purpose or hobby. However, if you want a fully functional app —you should take professional help.

Conclusion

DIY app makers are worthwhile and are beneficial for those who lack technical skills. If you want to create an app for small business purpose, you can use DIY app makers. These platforms can be used to build through low code or no code approach, minimizing the resources needed.

However, if you want your app to be truly worthwhile –you should consider hiring a professional app development agency. Investing in building custom apps will reap huge Returns on Investment (ROI) in long run. Custom app development will reduce the risk of security measures and long term maintenance. Before you think of building a mobile app using DIY App Maker, you should know about target audience for the app, features, limitations and benefits of the app.

Promatics Technologies is one of the leading app development companies in India. If you are serious about developing a mobile app, we are happy to help you. With huge experience in app development, we can make your app a super success.

]]>https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/why-you-should-not-use-diy-app-makers-to-make-you-app/feed/0Seven steps to protect your app idea from being copiedhttps://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/seven-steps-to-protect-your-app-idea-from-being-copied/
https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/seven-steps-to-protect-your-app-idea-from-being-copied/#respondSat, 03 Feb 2018 10:27:17 +0000http://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/?p=6062The number of mobile apps has increased significantly in the recent years. The app market is huge and it is expected that the app market will cross $80 billion by the end of 2018. The prospect of trying a new app excites the users, especially when they change their old device. As a result of … Continue reading

]]>The number of mobile apps has increased significantly in the recent years. The app market is huge and it is expected that the app market will cross $80 billion by the end of 2018. The prospect of trying a new app excites the users, especially when they change their old device. As a result of this, leading app stores are teemed with billions of apps with an overwhelming number of downloads every year. This shows that mobile app industry has a lot of potential and numerous companies want to tap into this potential. More and more companies want to launch unique apps with the best functionalities.

App development is in golden age now and many app developers are trying their best to create the next big app. If you are an entrepreneur in mobile app industry with a great app idea, then you must not only implement it successfully, but protect the idea from being stolen.

Now, the question is how to protect the app idea from being copied. Anyone who gets hint of your idea can copy before it is published. Here are some effective ways to protect your app idea from pirates.

1. Build the app

Building the app immediately is one of the best ways to protect your app idea. Turn your idea into app as soon as possible without revealing much about it. Once you have developed the app, you can have copyright protection toprevent reverse engineering.

Make sure that the freelancer or mobile app development agency is releasing copyrights to you at the end of the project. It means, the intellectual property is your – once you have paid the bill. If we see technically, the app belongs to the app developer. However, once they are paid off – the app belongs to you.

2. Non-Disclosure & Non-competent agreement

Non-disclosure agreement is one of the crucial steps taken by any business to protect their property. The same is the case with mobile app development. When you are hiring developers or designers for your project, you should ask them to sign a non-disclosure agreement. You can get this done with the help of an attorney.

Similarly, non-competent agreement is aimed to keep people from revealing secrets of the company to competitors. It refrain developers who are working on your project from working with other companies. The best thing about non-competent agreement is that the professionals will not work on your competitor’s projects. However, it is a bit difficult to find developers who are willing to sign such agreement.

Getting into non-disclosure and non-competent agreement is the best way to protect your app’s idea.

3. Patent application

Apply for patent of your app to protect your idea. However, it is not an easy task. You apply for patent application and it takes more than 2 years for issuing app patent. Once you have the app patent, all you need to do is protect the functionality of the app. You must also protect the app against independent development. Before you make public announcement, file all the important information with the help of your attorney.

The only drawback of applying for a patent is that it is expensive. Before you file patent application, you can ask yourself – is the app really patentable? Your invented app should be really new and beneficial. Patenting the app will cost you more than what you invested in developing and implementing the app. To overcome this issue, you can apply for provisional patent that protects your app idea for a year. Even if your app idea is not valuable, you will have time to improve it.

4. Trademark the app name or logo

Trademarking the app is another effective way to protect your app idea from being copied. This method helps you restrict other developers or entrepreneurs from using the name, icons and logo of your app. Besides these, you can even trademark the features and functionality of your app. This method will surely prevent your competitors from following the same route. If we have a look at the top-rated apps like Angry Birds, Instagram, and Candy Crush etc – we can say that their brand recognition is highly incredible. These apps can be identified just by seeing the font and colors that are associated with them.

The best part about trademarking the app is that your competitors or other developers can’t trick potential customers by creating products with similar logos or names. Trademark also offers extra protection against legal issues. You can take help of a reputed lawyer who is aware of the tricks and guide you accordingly.

5. Copyright the app

Copyright is one of the popular terms we hear, when it comes to protect the property, product or service. However, you cannot copyright the idea – as it is limited to code, design and UI. Copyrighting the mobile app is cost effective and provides basic protection against direct copiers. You can file copyright protection online. However, it does not protect your ideas or methods – unless they are implemented in a creative way.

Copyright will help you protect the original work such as source code, graphics, text and AV content. This process is quite cheaper compared to trademark and patent.

6. Get into business with right people

One of the common mistakes that business owners do is to get involved with the wrong people. It is always advisable to do business with those whom you know very well. Find if they have a good reputation of working on similar clientele. You can easily run a background check of the developer, client, investor and even contractor before involving them in the project.

Selecting trustworthy people will help you to turn your idea into great app. Moreover,you can decide how much information to reveal to other so that the app idea can be protected.

7. Don’t infringe on other’s work

Most of the times, we are inspired by the work of other people and try to copy it. The same is the case with app development. Though you have your own ideas and concepts, you end up trying something that is popular at that moment. The best way is to prevent infringing the work of others and try to keep your work as original as possible.

There are hundreds of apps on App Store that are similar to the reputed apps. Whether it is gaming app or on-demand services app, you will find a few similarities between them. Instead of replicating the business model of others, try to create something original that fills the real need.

Conclusion

There is no clear cut strategy to protect app idea from being copied. However, you can keep the above steps in mind to protect your app idea. Smart decision making practices can provide excellent protection over app idea thieves. Never under estimate the value of your idea, as all the big products start with small ideas.

]]>https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/seven-steps-to-protect-your-app-idea-from-being-copied/feed/0What’s better? Building your app in-House or Outsourcing it to a Mobile App Development Companyhttps://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/whats-better-building-your-app-in-house-or-outsourcing-it-to-a-mobile-app-development-company/
https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/whats-better-building-your-app-in-house-or-outsourcing-it-to-a-mobile-app-development-company/#respondSat, 12 Aug 2017 12:17:12 +0000http://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/?p=5713More than 95% of Fortune 500 companies have adopted enterprise mobile apps and are investing in building mobility solutions. Mobile apps in business world seem to pose explosive growth in consumer technology market. Developing a mobile app needs significant amount of investment and time. The biggest decision to make is whether to outsource the work … Continue reading

]]>More than 95% of Fortune 500 companies have adopted enterprise mobile apps and are investing in building mobility solutions. Mobile apps in business world seem to pose explosive growth in consumer technology market. Developing a mobile app needs significant amount of investment and time. The biggest decision to make is whether to outsource the work or build it in-house.

Many companies are affected by the dilemma of in-house vs outsource, especially when it comes to mobile app development. Both in-house and outsourcing approaches have their own pros and cons.

In this post, I will help you know the pros and cons of both these approaches and how to select the right one that meet your business requirements.

In-house mobile app development

Many companies are trying hard to build mobile apps in-house, believing that it is highly cost-effective and controlled. However, it is not as easy as they think. Though the in-house team is controlled by the parent company — they may not be able to look after the development operations as per their choice. This option is ideal for large companies, but they have to make it a long term strategy to succeed.

Pros of in-house app development

Large companies can set aside the required resources in terms of time and money for in-house team. The main advantages of building an in-house app are as below.

1.) Building an app in-house will give you complete control over the project in terms of scope.

2.) The internal team knows the company and its policies in a better way, and cutting out the learning curve will inevitably go through.

3.) In-house projects can be have faster sign-off cycle, as the concerning parties are in one location. A team of in-house specialists will contribute to a long term strategy of organization through innovative use of mobile technology.

Cons of in-house app development

There is a steep moving curve from web developing to mobile developing. If your company is planning for in-house app development, then you should know that there are a few drawbacks too.

1.) In-house app development involves high setup cost including – training, recruitment, licenses, infrastructure cost and many more, which is often followed by permanent overheads.

2.) Lack of expertise in the in-house team can be associated with additional costs and time delays. Hiring team of specialists could mean spending huge amount of time and money.The in-house team has to negotiate a lot regarding internal policies that can stifle the creativity of the project. The flexibility with revisions could mean countless modifications, which can further delay the project.

3.)Recruiting the right mix of talent and mobile experience is very time consuming, and it is something that organizations should really think of. It really matters a lot for companies, especially if they want to deploy mobile apps to users in short period.

Outsourcing mobile app development

Handing the mobile app development project to a professional company is no doubt a wise step. If you want to develop an app by saving time and money, outsourcing app development is the best option. Entrusting the app development to a specialist agency is right for those organizations that don’t have time and money to spend on building an in-house team.

Pros of outsourcing app development

Outsourcing mobile app development will give you a better product without spending much time and money. Below are some of the benefits of outsourcing app development.

1.) Outsourcing ensures that the time spent between customer brief and project start is quite crucial, especially if you need to market the app fast. The cost of project is fixed and hence you can stay ensured that the customer is in control of the budget. There is only a little risk with development as all the variables related to the project are agreed upfront.

2.) Mobile app development agencies look into emerging technologies and ways to harness them. This makes them more creative and well informed when offering best possible solution for the budget. This gives your customer a competitive advantage.

3.) Mobile app development agencies provide end-to-end service staring from the idea of mobile app till customer support. This allows customers to explore mobile app space in a safe environment.

4.) A professional mobile app development agency will give you a robust contract along with great scope of work. If any mistake or delay occurs while working on the app, you will have a dedicated representative that can help you overcome the challenges.

The decision of app development comes down to cost and risk. Companies that are under intense pressure need to maintain competitive presence in mobile space. It is natural that companies want to keep mobile app development in-house. However, it doesn’t make the best business sense.

Cons of outsourcing app development

The burgeoning mobile app development industry provides great potential for companies to grow their business. App development firms provide end-to-end services in a protected environment till they find a niche that works for them.

However, there are a few drawbacks of outsourcing app development.

1.) Even though you are the owner of mobile app, you won’t have complete control over the project. Moreover, you are relying on a third party to create something that could form core of its business operations

2.) It takes time for even the best app development agencies to get to know the ethos, policies, vision and brand of your organization. Moreover, they offer a limited number of revisions for free.

3.) The scope will result in further changes that are ideally based on hourly rate (agreed before). If the initial client specifications are poorly defines, it will escalate the cost of project. The app development project management process need the use of software, which the customer is not familiar with.

Time to decide

For most of the organizations, the final decision is based on project time sensitivity, combination of cost, risk attitude and many other factors. What is right for your organization might not be right for others. It depends on company, long-term strategy, ease of access to the resources and many other factors. If the in-house app development is the right choice for your organization, then you need to ensure that the products you develop are at highest quality.

It is easy to say that only the largest of organizations that plan to integrate mobile at the heart of future growth strategy will take the risks that are associated with such an undertaking. Being an experienced mobile app development company, we always advice you to start your mobile app development journey with the simplest possible version.

When choosing between in-house app development and outsourcing app development, it is clear from the above comparison that outsourcing is more cost-effective and makes much sense. But, again it depends on factors like – size of your company, time frame to release the app, your budget etc.

If you are still not sure about what’s better, our team can help you with. Stay in touch with us and get benefitted from our in depth knowledge of technologies.

]]>https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/whats-better-building-your-app-in-house-or-outsourcing-it-to-a-mobile-app-development-company/feed/08 hidden app development costs to avoidhttps://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/8-hidden-app-development-costs-to-avoid/
https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/8-hidden-app-development-costs-to-avoid/#respondMon, 24 Jul 2017 11:06:13 +0000http://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/?p=5670With any new trend in mobile app development, there is always someone who jumps on the board immediately. We are seeing more and more companies getting into mobile app development. Many businesses get into mobile app development with limited understanding of the process and true cost of developing an app. My advice is to wait … Continue reading

]]>With any new trend in mobile app development, there is always someone who jumps on the board immediately. We are seeing more and more companies getting into mobile app development. Many businesses get into mobile app development with limited understanding of the process and true cost of developing an app. My advice is to wait to make sure that the trend will take off.

Companies that jump into mobile app development for the first time make a big mistake, when it comes to understanding the cost of developing a mobile app. Many app development companies believe that that development cost starts and ends with the developer. However, there are a number of factors that plays an important role in app development cost.

In this post, I am going to highlight hidden costs that should be anticipated before starting your mobile app development project. After reading this post, you will be able to answer questions like –

What unexpected costs should you plan for?

What expenses might surprise you during the process of app development?

How to face unexpected expenditure?

If your company is getting into mobile app development for the first time, go through the 8 hidden app development costs and avoid them.

Multi-platform development cost

App developers face many hurdles while building an app for the first time. It could be due to lack of experience or unawareness of certain facts. Many novice mobile app developers make the mistake of building app on multiple platforms. As every platform needs different set of programming languages, the app designed for Android is useless for iPhone. Developers have to craft a separate iOS friendly mobile app, which will eventually increase the app development cost.

To overcome this problem, app developers should focus on developing hybrid apps that work on different platforms with just a few tweaks and modifications.

Installation and maintenance expenses

Mobile app development is a long-term process. You might think that the job of developers is completed, once the app is developed. However, there is a lot of work — after completing the development phase. Once the app is developed and installed, it needs regular maintenance.

There are several issues to look into such as –adding improved features, security updates, Android/iOS updates, user support links and many more. Such times, regular maintenance can be expensive and adds to the budget of your mobile app development.

Marketing and advertising

Advertising and marketing plays an important role in making the app successful. However, app publishers make the mistake of spending more on marketing and advertising. When you develop a useful app and put it in different app stores, you expect people to download it. If you want the app to be identified by people, you should develop a perfect marketing strategy.

If you want to begin with a marketing strategy, you should be ready to spend at least $5,000 – $10,000. Building and advertising a mobile app can drain your finances. Before jumping into mobile app development, you should consider the advertising and marketing costs.

Spending more on first release

No doubt, the first version of mobile app is very important. After launching the app for the first time, you have to spend on maintenance. If you want your mobile app to be successful, it should be updated with additional features. If you don’t want new features, you app has to be adapted to the changing environment. Whether it is security updates, bug reports or web browser inconsistencies, it has to deal with everything on its own. You should test your mobile app pro-actively to keep it up with the change in the eco-system.

As it is just a beginning, you should not spend much on the first version itself. You have to make necessary changes based on the feedback and bug report from the users. You should have enough funds for the next release.

Poor app design

Mobile app development companies assign the task of deigning the app to in-house team. They even outsource the task to freelancers and other professionals, as per their requirement. However, the developers do not put 100% efforts and come with a poorly developed app. Such issues are usually noticed once the app is launched and people start using it.

In such cases, the app store removes the app and the app development company faces huge financial loss. As the app is poorly designed, they have to spend again to make a new mobile app —which will eventually increase the cost.

Outdated technology

There are several things that come to mind when developing an app. Lifespan of the app is one of the important things to consider when developing an app. Now, the question is – what decides the lifespan of mobile app? Well, technology and OS plays a very important role in deciding the lifespan of mobile apps.

When you look at the lifespan of an app, you should focus on prioritizing development speed. Choose a technology that is perfect for your app. In most of the cases, creating an all-in-one mobile app using frameworks like – Knedo UI, Ionic or Mobile Angular UI etc can be more than enough. These technologies are perfect for mobile apps with limited functionality.

Testing and troubleshooting

For most of the mobile app developers, testing is nothing but a formality. Developers are more interested in designing the app and think everything is done. However, it is must to test the app multiple times to make sure that it is perfect in every aspect. If you think that your app will work perfectly on the first try itself, you are mistaken.

You will anticipate the issues better when they arise. Testing is definitely something that is worth spending. It will help you avoid problems in future. By testing your app on a regular basis, you can save unnecessary expenditure in the long run.

Diversions in project plan

Mobile app developers might give an estimate based on the MVP or initial specifications.However, initial specifications tend to change as the project progresses. You may feel like adding new features or tweaking existing features. This will ultimately increase the app development cost.

Not having a well- defined purposefor developing the app is the biggest mistake developers make. Check the objective of your mobile app and run concurrent tests throughout the development process to avoid any diversions in the project plan.

Conclusion

Building a mobile app can be a daunting task, if you are not ready to facethe hidden costs. Whether it is designing, installation, testing or marketing phase —- you should be prepared for unexpected expenditure. If you want to avoid hidden app development costs, choose a technology/platform that fit your app. You should get a second opinion based on the recommendations. Be ready for changes and plan at least 20% of budget for post launch.

You are an important part of the team and the cost of mobile app development will depend on your final decision. Take an active part in project and budget discussion with your developer to avoid the above hidden costs.

Want to know more about mobile app development? Get in touch with us. We are always there to give a new life to your app idea.

]]>https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/8-hidden-app-development-costs-to-avoid/feed/0Types and tussle between on-demand delivery platformshttps://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/types-and-tussle-between-on-demand-delivery-platforms/
https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/types-and-tussle-between-on-demand-delivery-platforms/#respondFri, 07 Apr 2017 05:43:47 +0000http://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/?p=5399What are you most likely to do when you come home all broke after office? Certainly, prepping up in kitchen is something you would mostly avoid. You will either have a help to do the grunt for you or you will most likely pick up your phone and order a delicious dinner right away! … Continue reading

]]>What are you most likely to do when you come home all broke after office? Certainly, prepping up in kitchen is something you would mostly avoid. You will either have a help to do the grunt for you or you will most likely pick up your phone and order a delicious dinner right away!

Food Industry has grown by leaps and bounds over the last decade. People no longer drive to restaurants; instead exotic delicacies from renowned restaurants come galloping at their doorstep. Focus on consumer convenience has driven food industry to largely rely on web-based and mobile applications as they allow convenient order placement and faster doorstep delivery. Customers are now able to order multiple dishes from multiple restaurants within few taps using a single application. These on-demand delivery services help customers to:

Rate and review the restaurants & the delivery services

Pay more securely and conveniently

Track the order processing from approval to delivery.

Popular food delivery services like Swiggy, Foodpanda, Runnr, Freshmenu etc have quickly engrossed the niche market by 41% encouraging investors to venture and contribute towards better growth. But, while this industry has attracted huge attention from investors, it is quite unclear what the future holds for this niche.

We bring to you three thriving business models that drive this sector with success today. We will see which model holds the best potential to cut through the competition and survive long into the future.

From traditional to modern food delivery model – the rapid evolution

Gone are the days when people used to look into a directory, scan through the names of restaurants nearby and note the phone numbers to make a call. Now, the digitalization has changed the scenario dramatically. Hundreds of restaurants are just a tap away! One app – hundred eateries, thousands of dishes! Just open your app, put your location, and a list quickly pops up showing restaurants nearby. You can choose from over thousands of dishes altogether and place an order – all you need to do is scroll and select your fantasy.

It is as simple as it is. But the app role doesn’t end here. You, actually, can see how your order is processing – right from restaurants approving your order to the delivery boy picking it up and driving all the way to your home!

Wait, the app scene has many more folds to go!

Recently, Dominos introduced “Zero Click” ordering as a standalone app that extended the “Anyware” ordering service. This app ensures that the user can order a pizza without even tapping! The app helps the user to link its profile where he can enter his favourite pizza names, his choice of toppings and crusts. Once the app is downloaded and the profile is linked, a pizza order automatically gets placed whenever the user opens the app. Well, you must be wandering what happens if it opens accidentally. Domino’s has a foolproof plan for that as well. After the app opens, it takes 10 seconds to finally place the order – where the user always has the liberty to cancel within 10 seconds.

The good news is, not just Pizza chains but there is a rapid growth of food delivery start ups that are giving a head-on competition to the “big pizza” scene. These start-ups are targeting millennial and crafting a business model that deliver freshly cooked food on demand. We’ve divided these on-demand food delivery services as:

Order-based delivery service

Logistics-based delivery service

Full-service food delivery service

So let’s get started….

Order-based on-demand service or Delivery service aggregator

An aggregator or an order-based on-demand service works as a service between restaurants and customers. They offer customers access to various cuisines across various restaurants through a single website or app. Well, here the main focus lies on on-time order delivery and efficient customer support.

So, how does it exactly work? Once you sign in to the app or website, you can check out menus, prices, ratings and reviews. Based on your research of restaurants and wish to enjoy a cuisine, you place an order. The aggregator passes your order to the restaurant and then the restaurant prepares the dish and arranges for a delivery personnel to deliver your order on time. The aggregator has a fixed fee for every order which it deducts from the price of order placed and pays the rest of it to the restaurant.

Logistics-based on-demand service or new food delivery service

The business model here is quite the same as order-based on-demand service except that the service provides logistics or delivery personals for order delivery at customer doorstep. These types of services are highly popular as restaurants need not worry about vehicle maintenance, paying drivers and updating insurance policies for drivers and vehicles both. The service allows restaurants to focus on customer service and improve food quality rather than wasting a good amount of time planning on logistics. These types of services have helped various restaurants to cater to new customers in distant places. Eventually, they gained more visibility and also found a solid grip in new markets as well.

However, you might be wandering how these services cover the cost of logistics when there are hundreds of food couriers happening in a day and there are over hundreds of vehicles to maintain! Well, these services pose a fixed service charge on both restaurants and customers. It is quite surprising to know that despite high marginal costs, these new delivery platforms have achieved EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization) margin. The more restaurants collaborate with these platforms, the more profit they make.

Full service on-demand services

Well, this is quite interesting! The full service on-demand services are direct competitors to “big pizza” as they provide freshly cooked food to customers on time. They do not have third party alliances. They prepare food inside their own kitchen and hire in-house delivery professionals to deliver food to customer doorstep.

A very good example is Munchery – a full-stack take out solution in US. Customers can order a dish within an one hour window. Or, they can also pre-order an item a day before. The only catch here is, unlike the other two aforementioned models, the delivery here takes time – certainly because they prepare your order fresh in their own kitchen and then dispatch it for delivery using their own delivery fleet.

The app features a number of dishes, the ingredient required and the name of the chef preparing your order. The food arrives cold, yet contains heating instructions and serving kits.

The tussle – full-service Vs order-based Vs logistics-based services

Considering all the above features and the set of services, a full stack service certainly scores best between the three. They have full control over customer experience. From food preparation to delivery, they know what works best for which customer. They are able to deliver personalized service too which the other two fall short of. However, a full service on-demand delivery service can be a crunch for start ups as these services would require more capital and funding for a sustained growth. The services would require more employees and more equipment to grow their business, leaving alone the insurances and various business standards to comply with sanitary regulations.

The aggregator model is an ideal option for the businesses who step down to the market with less capital and funding. However, the competition is fierce and hence sustainability is a challenge. On the other hand, a logistics based on-demand delivery can face the challenge of tying up with restaurants – clearly because most restaurants have their in-house delivery services. However, when we precisely talk of all delivery models, the logistics-based delivery service has a better future. Why? Rightly because, they help restaurants reach new markets, enhance their services and engender better sales altogether.

]]>https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/types-and-tussle-between-on-demand-delivery-platforms/feed/0Seven Stages of Design for On-demand Cargo Delivery Appshttps://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/seven-stages-of-design-for-on-demand-cargo-delivery-apps/
https://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/seven-stages-of-design-for-on-demand-cargo-delivery-apps/#respondThu, 09 Mar 2017 08:11:11 +0000http://www.promaticsindia.com/blog/?p=5343On-demand cargo delivery apps are highly in demand these days. Cargo delivery apps are going to dominate the market, as they connect clients with different service providers. Using cargo apps is very easy, just like booking a cab, delivery bike or private car. Today, there are dozens of on-demand cargo delivery apps with unique designs … Continue reading

]]>On-demand cargo delivery apps are highly in demand these days. Cargo delivery apps are going to dominate the market, as they connect clients with different service providers. Using cargo apps is very easy, just like booking a cab, delivery bike or private car. Today, there are dozens of on-demand cargo delivery apps with unique designs and features. It is quite challenging to design such apps, as the developers need to add lots of features and functionalities. There is a misconception that on-demand cargo apps are similar to taxi apps like Uber and Ola. However, there is a lot of difference, not only in terms of design, but in terms of features and functionality.

On-demand cargo apps ensure that you get benefitted from the quick availability of resources and skills, especially when you need them in no time. You can closely align with the budget and requirements of your business. Here we will go through the important stages of on-demand cargo delivery app.

Stage 1 – Determine the devices to build app for

Different apps have different requirements depending on the OS as well as format of the smart device. There are many cargo delivery apps on Android and iOS with colorful interfaces and easy to read maps. The app should be developed for smartphones and can be on iOS or Android depending on the target audience. A downloadable desktop widget can help the client switch between computer and mobile device. Going for a native app will give you faster user experience, rather than going with a hybrid app to cut down the costs.

Stage 2 – Features of cargo delivery app

The on-demand cargo delivery app should have all the features that help the driver or transporter to share the shipping information with the clients directly from the app. It also should have the options to filter the information by status of the package, such as – sending or receiving the shipment, in-transit, location etc. Barcode scanner is an important feature to have in the cargo app with support to as many as reputed companies. Besides the above, the app should have driver tracker, vehicle tracker, package tracker, driving route optimization and other features.

Stage 3 – Designing the interface of cargo delivery app

Cargo delivery apps have a many screens with different components. You can see these screens with slight variations across different apps in this category. Some of the must to include components on the cargo delivery app are – list of orders, delivery details, delivery card, delivery dashboard, active deliveries and quotes. All the above components should be inter-connected and should be able to handle complex interactions. The design of list of orders and delivery card is of utmost importance, as it can enhance the user experience. The information in the order list and level of details should be clear. The content on the card should change with the status of the order.

Stage 4 – Navigation

Different types of users use cargo apps in different ways. For instance – a client may place an order from the desktop, while a driver may use his mobile app to check the list of orders. In order to cater the needs of different types of users under different environments, it is must to define user roles. Basically, there are 3 types of user roles such as – client, dispatcher and transportation provider. The dispatcher is most likely to use the app while initiating the process, while the transportation provider and client are going to use the app on the move. To improve the navigation in cargo delivery apps, developers should make all the core features accessible at a single click.

Incorporating swiping gestures in the app will make it more convenient than traditional buttons. It is always advisable to have only 3-4 buttons in the tab bar, as more buttons make the app much complicated. In short, use minimalist navigation system with some space for search and notifications.

Stage 5 – Pick the right screen size

The size and location of elements on the screen is another important thing to consider while designing cargo delivery app. Use heat maps to pick the right screen size and location of design elements. When the drivers use the apps, they don’t want any distractions, and hence the free space should be used sensibly. Designers should provide ample white space with big buttons to enhance the overall user experience. Sometimes, inappropriate screen size will result in irreversible consequences such as deleting an order or changing the status of order. To avoid this, an additional dialogue box should pop-up to confirm the action.

Stage 6 – Tracking the status of order

Users are more likely to track the status of order frequently. The delivery app should be able to provide regular updates and status of the order from time to time. The easiest way is to provide routine update, before the user track the order. The dashboard should be free from unnecessary notifications and messages, so that the user can find relevant information easily. The dashboard should have – visual display of status of orders, delivery route, communication with delivery team etc. The customers should be able to access the data conveniently and informed about the delivery status.

Stage 7 – Test the mobile app

Once you have built an app, the last stage is to test the cargo delivery app. User acceptance testing is the process to discover whether the mobile app works for the users or not. To test the mobile app, you can put it in the hands of clients, drivers and transporters. Build a user testing focus group to make sure that the app has all those features needed by the users. Once it is tested, it should be made available for beta trial. Feedback from beta users is highly valuable, as it determines whether the functions of the app are operating well or not in real world environment.

How on-demand cargo delivery apps work?

On-demand cargo delivery apps allow the users to book and manage deliveries for personal and business use. The users can download the cargo delivery apps from app store. Users are asked to create a job by selecting the data, time, pick up address and delivery address of the cargo. Some apps allow users to select type of vehicle, whether it should be closed/open body, type of cargo etc. Once the user has selected, the next step is to choose preferred payment mode. The job will be created successfully, upon successful completion of the above steps. The users can check everything from picking the cargo till the delivery. The customer will be given an approximate delivery time. If the customer wishes to find any other information, they can check it on the app.

On-demand cargo delivery apps are reliable, safe, convenient and economical. With a user-friendly interface and best features, one can make booking in easy steps just like hiring a taxi. Once the cargo is booked, the mobile app let the users send anything they want. The orders may consist of transporting a single box or load up the van with several boxes. The mobile app connects transporters, drivers and clients at just a click of a button. To ensure safety of cargo, the mobile app keeps track of the vehicles. The easy to use cargo delivery apps provide a seamless experience for clients and transporters.

There is nothing better than getting access to the best possible cargo delivery service. With the cargo delivery app in our possession, we can include features that are in demand and are acceptable globally. Every app needs updates and features during app development life cycle. As soon as the first version is released, a new development cycle begins.

Like any other app, on-demand cargo delivery apps need skilled professionals to fix problems and build new enhancements continually to ensure its success.